War & Peace - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

War & Peace — Government
War & Peace

The Grassroots view, the new podcast series launched by the European Economic and Social Committee (https://www.eesc.europa.eu/) (EESC), explores the hot topics everyone seems to be debating these days in Europe, but it does so from a civil society perspective, bringing testimonies from actors on the ground and accounts from EESC members who represent their interests in Brussels. A podcast member of EuroPod: https://www.bullemedia.eu/europod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Copyright: © European Economic and Social Committee, via EuroPod

Latest Episodes:

A Political Shake-up in Serbia, Business as Usual in Bosnia? Oct 29, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of War & Peace, guest host Fabienne Hara speaks with Crisis Group’s consulting senior analyst for the Balkans, Marko Prelec, about the elections in Serbia and Bosnia this month and where both countries might be headed. They first discuss the remarkable victory of Serbia’s student-led movement, which ended more than a decade of former President Aleksandar Vučić’s rule, and what it could mean for the country’s foreign policy. They then turn to Bosnia’s elections on 4 October, examining why established nationalist parties largely retained their power despite widespread political disillusionment. They also discuss the future of Bosnia’s post-war political order as international oversight recedes, and the growing divergence between Washington and European capitals over their approaches to the Western Balkans. Finally, they consider the evolving roles of Russia and China in the region.

For more, check out our Balkans page.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do the Laws of War Still Matter in Ukraine and Beyond? Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

This week on War & Peace, Olga speaks with Yale Law School professor Oona Hathaway and Crisis Group expert Brian Finucane about international humanitarian law amid widespread civilian harm, emerging military technologies, and a growing retreat from legal constraints on warfare in Ukraine and beyond.

In this episode of War & Peace, Olga is joined by Oona Hathaway, professor of international law at Yale Law School, and Brian Finucane, Crisis Group’s Senior Adviser for the U.S. program, to discuss the state of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), the rules meant to protect civilians and non-combatants during wartime. They unpack how the laws of war are enforced and why rules rooted in the post-World War II Geneva Conventions remain relevant in conflicts today. They then turn to Ukraine, discussing whether Kyiv’s reliance on Western support has encouraged its restraint, Russian violations and the IHL implications of Ukraine’s growing strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and online retailers. They also examine how emerging battlefield technologies, including drones and the growing use of artificial intelligence in targeting, complicate accountability. Finally, they consider how IHL can be strengthened internationally as the Trump administration works to roll back legal constraints on warfare.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

War, Politics and Chauvinism in Russia and Across Europe Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

This week on War & Peace, Olga speaks with Sabine Fischer, senior fellow at SWP, about her book “The Chauvinist Threat: Russia’s War and the West’s Response”, how imperialism, sexism and autocracy have shaped Russian politics, its society and its war against Ukraine.

In this episode of War & Peace, Olga is joined by Sabine Fischer, senior fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), to discuss her book “The Chauvinist Threat: Russia’s War and the West’s Response”. They unpack how chauvinist politics – defined as a combination of imperialism, sexism and autocracy – have shaped Russian society and politics under President Vladimir Putin and helped pave the way for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. They examine how the war has accelerated chauvinism in Russia, including through pressure on women to have children, rising domestic violence and the repression of feminist and LGBTQI+ activism, while also raising the war’s complex effects on gender relations in Ukraine. They also consider how different outcomes to the war could shape Russia’s future and politics across Europe, what guardrails liberal democracies, including those in the process of re-arming, have against chauvinist shifts, and whether and how chauvinist politics might be reversed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NATO in Türkiye/Türkiye in NATO Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of War & Peace, Olga is joined by Galip Dalay, senior research fellow at Chatham House, to discuss Türkiye’s evolving relations with NATO and with the EU ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara in July. They examine what Ankara hopes to get from the summit and prospects for greater recognition of Türkiye’s role in European security. They discuss Türkiye’s expanding defence industry, its potential place in its allies’ rearmament plans, and the constraints imposed by EU debates over how far those efforts should involve non-EU members. They also unpack how Türkiye views its NATO membership and how closely Ankara is aligned with other allies, including when it comes to the war in Ukraine. They examine the aftermath of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran and how it could shape Türkiye’s regional standing, diplomatic role, security partnerships with Gulf states and place in emerging trade routes. Finally, they consider what President Erdoğan might seek from bilateral discussions with Trump at the summit.

For more, check out our Türkiye and Europe pages.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hungary – and Europe – After Orbán May 27, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of War & Peace, Olga is joined by Zsuzsanna Végh, Program Officer with the German Marshall Fund, to discuss the aftermath of Hungary’s elections, which saw Péter Magyar’s Tisza party decisively defeat Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz after more than 16 years in power. They talk about the factors behind Tisza’s victory and what might come next for Orbán and Fidesz. They discuss Magyar’s foreign policy priorities and how Hungary’s relations with Ukraine, Russia and the EU might change under his leadership. Finally, they assess what Orbán’s defeat might mean for far-right movements in Europe and the U.S., with which Fidesz had fostered close ties, and what lessons anti-autocratic movements can draw from Magyar’s win.

For more, check out our Europe page.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EU and NATO Members Grapple with War in Iran Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of War & Peace, Olga is joined by Crisis Group’s head of EU affairs, Lisa Musiol, to take stock of how the EU and European capitals have responded to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. They discuss how coordinated this response has been, the balancing act of trying to preserve the transatlantic relationship while avoiding being drawn directly into the conflict, and what lessons can be drawn for further dealings with a U.S. administration that continues to flout international law. They also examine the fallout of the war for Europe, including energy shocks and pressure on support for Ukraine, and the structural constraints that make it hard for the EU to shape major crises rather than simply react to them. Finally, they explore what role the EU and European capitals might play in post-ceasefire diplomacy with Iran, whether closer cooperation with Gulf Arab states is likely, and why, despite its limitations, the EU still matters in many crises around the world.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cold Hard Truths: Arctic Security in a Changing World Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of War & Peace, Olga is joined by Gabriella Gricius, Senior Fellow at the Arctic Institute and Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Konstanz, to speak about Arctic security and how great power competition is playing out in the High North. They examine U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, whether there is any logic behind the idea that the U.S. needs to own the island, and if the issue could re-emerge. They discuss NATO’s plans for a greater presence in the High North and the rationale behind its new mission, Arctic Sentry. They explore Russia’s priorities in the Arctic, how its posture is shifting with Finland and Sweden joining the alliance, as well as China’s interests in the region. Finally, they discuss the dilemma European capitals face in responding to unpredictability from both Washington and Moscow in the Arctic and identify where space for cooperation in the region remains.

For more, check out our Hold Your Fire! episode “The Greenland Showdown and Board of Peace at Davos”, as well as our Europe & Central Asia page.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bonus Episode: A Transport Route to Peace in the South Caucasus? Feb 27, 2026

Show notes

Today, we're bringing you a bonus episode from Crisis Group's global podcast, Hold Your Fire!

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard Atwood speaks with Joshua Kucera, Crisis Group’s senior South Caucasus analyst, about progress in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks, U.S. involvement and shifting regional politics. They discuss U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent visit to Yerevan and Baku, why Washington got involved and U.S. efforts to broker agreement on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) – a proposed transit corridor linking mainland Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan through southern Armenia. They talk about whether the corridor could move forward even without a fully ratified peace deal and examine the remaining sticking points. They also assess Türkiye’s expanding role in the region, Iran’s concerns about the corridor, Russia’s waning influence and European policy. They examine why the Trump administration’s peacemaking appears to have been more successful in the South Caucasus than elsewhere.

For more, check out Joshua’s recent Analyst’s Notebook, “Vance Visit Reaffirms U.S. Push to End Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict” and our Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict page.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can Europe Solve Its U.S. Dilemma? Jan 16, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of War & Peace, Olga and Alissa are joined by Nathalie Tocci, director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali in Rome, to discuss how European capitals are reacting to recent U.S. actions in Venezuela and the Trump administration’s aggressive rhetoric over Greenland, and how EU and NATO member states can navigate an increasingly strained transatlantic relationship. They explore how European governments may rethink security in order to reduce dependence on the U.S. as Washington increasingly disregards international norms and even threatens the territorial integrity of an ally. Finally, they consider how regional states can meaningfully approach multilateralism as the global order continues to shift rapidly.

This episode was made possible through extra-budgetary funding from the OSCE. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Karabakh Refugees in Armenia Dec 16, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of War & Peace, Olga Oliker and Alissa de Carbonnel are joined by Joshua Kucera, Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst for the South Caucasus, to discuss the increasingly difficult situation facing people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia after Azerbaijan regained control of the territory in a rapid 2023 offensive. They unpack the refugees’ mounting challenges–from insecure housing after cuts to government assistance to discrimination–and their growing frustration with Armenia’s government. They also examine the role refugees from Karabakh might play in Armenia’s 2026 elections and peace efforts with Azerbaijan, their hopes of return, and what the EU can do to help Yerevan respond.

For more, check out our Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict and Europe & Central Asia pages.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Related Podcasts